The invention relates to the resin transfer molding process. The invention also relates to the manufacturing of fiber-reinforced polymer or fiber-reinforced plastic boat hulls.
In resin transfer molding (RTM), dry reinforcement material is placed in a molding cavity defined by one or more mold surfaces, and liquid resin is then injected into the cavity to form the FRP product. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,740, which is incorporated herein by reference, for further explanation of conventional resin transfer molding. In one type of resin transfer molding, one of the mold halves is a flexible bag or sheet known as a vacuum bag.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/220,110, which was filed Mar. 30, 1994 and which is assigned to the assignee hereof (Atty. Docket No. 72012/3030), discloses a process for manufacturing a boat hull with stringers by resin transfer molding. It is also known to manufacture a boat hull without stringers by resin transfer molding. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,215.